everyday mysteries

The Murder of Faith Hedgepeth

On the morning of September 7, 2012, Native American biology major, Faith Hedgepeth, 19, was found brutally beaten to death. She was a student at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and lived with a friend in an off campus apartment.

Faith Hedgepeth

The night before, Faith had spent the evening in the Davis Library with her roommate, Karena Rosario. Afterwards, the two girls went to a nightclub called The Thrill and then returned back to the apartment at around 2:30am.

Faith’s roommate, Karena, left the apartment in the early morning hours and returned around 11:00 am to find Faith “covered by a blanket on top of her slightly askew mattress with large amounts of blood.”

Faith had been killed by blunt force trauma to the head, and evidence of the altercation was littered throughout the room. Karena told the 911 operator that there “there were items in the room that were not hers and that it looked like someone else had been there.”

Faith was found “positioned on the floor, leaning against the bed, with her shirt pulled up and no clothes from the waist down.” Police found semen on Faith and it was reported that “DNA from the semen matched male DNA found elsewhere in the apartment.” There was also a small white paper bag found on the bed with the words, “I’M NOT STUPID BITCH JEALOUS” scrawled across it. Police believe that this note was written by her killer.

But, what could have precipitated such a personal murder in those early morning hours between around 4:30 and 11:00am? And, with the abundance of evidence, how has Faith’s murderer not been apprehended over the last four years?

TIMELINE

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Approximately 7:30 pm – 12:00 am: Faith Hedgepeth and Karena Rosario are at UNC’s Davis Library. At 12am, they return back to their apartment together.

Friday, September 7, 2012

The dance floor at The (now closed) Thrill according to a Yelp review

Around 1:00 am: Faith and Karena arrive at a nightclub, called The Thrill, where they meet up with friends and dance for a while.

Karena Rosario and Faith Hedgepeth

2:38 am: The girls leave the bar and head back to their apartment. Karena felt sick from drinking too much and wanted to return. Faith helps Karena and then falls asleep.

3:40 am: A text message is sent from Faith’s phone to Karena’s ex-boyfriend, Brandon Edwards. It reads:

Hey b. can you come over here please. Karena needs you more aha. You know. Please let her know you care.

3:43 am: The word “Than” is texted to Brandon from Faith’s phone. It has been suggested that she was simply correcting the first text to read “Karena needs you more *than* you know.”

4:27 am: Karena is picked up by a friend and leaves the apartment. It is reported that Karena did see Faith sleeping. Karena stays at a friend’s house until midmorning.

Around 11:00 am: Karena returns and finds Faith dead on Karena’s bed in Karena’s bedroom, according to her 911 call.

September 2014: Two years afterwards, police release documents relating to the investigation which are heavily redacted. The note found on the bed is revealed.

Suspects and Inconsistencies

Interestingly, the police reported that Karena returned with a friend to discover Faith’s body. However, Karena consistently replies to the 911 operator’s statements about Karena waiting for the police alone, without mentioning the presence of her friend. Karena reiterates “I just walked into my apartment” several times, and there seems to be no side comments between her and the friend, or any noise from the friend on the recording at all.

Police ultimately questioned and DNA tested many of the men that Faith and Karena had seen that night. They attempted to test as many men from the nightclub as possible, yet there have been no matching DNA results.

An ex-boyfriend of Karena Rosario, Eriq Takoy Jones, stood out as a prime suspect almost immediately. Faith had taken Karena to get a restraining order against Eriq after a violent incident in which he had “reportedly kicked two doors in the apartment off their frames.” Faith told a friend that Eriq hated her and had threatened to kill her if Karena did not get back together with him. He also lived in the same apartment complex, and made some cryptic statements on social media and in a text to a friend; however, these items could be dismissed as in reference to something else or a not-so-eloquent admission of having treated Faith and Karena poorly in the past.

However, Eriq was very cooperative with police and ultimately cleared as not matching the DNA left on the crime scene. For his part, Eriq stated to news reporters that “From what I knew of her [Hedgepeth], she was the sweetest person in the world. If you needed her and she could do it, she was there.” He went on to say:

“I’ll be honest with you, whoever did this deserves to burn.”

Another ex-boyfriend of Karena Rosario, Brandon Edwards, to whom the last texts on Faith’s phone were sent, was revealed to have been present at The Thrill that night. He had also, according to police records, spent the night on the couch in Faith and Karena’s apartment the night of September 5th (one night before the murder). It seems odd that Brandon did not have Faith’s number programmed in his phone, or even recognize that Faith would have been the one texting him about Karena, considering he had stayed at their apartment and was determined to have “had contact” with the girls at the nightclub.

The Note

According to police, the note found in the center of the bed was written on a white paper bag and has heavily been referred to by media as a “fast-food” type of bag. Police believe it was written by Faith’s killer. The note seems to be specifically referring to a past situation in which the killer was called or assumed to be stupid by the victim.

A handwriting analyst for Crime Watch Daily indicated that the handwriting does appear to have been “written with disguise” and seemed to have been written with a non-dominant hand.

Many people have pointed out that the note is disjointed and messy. The handwriting seems childlike, and the statement doesn’t fully make sense as it ends in an adjective.

I’M NOT STUPID

BITCH

JEALOUS

There is a lot of speculation in mystery forums that the usage of the word “jealous” and the handwriting (the P in stupid) seems particularly feminine.

Interestingly, though the crime scene was horrifically bloody, the note appears to be fairly clean and free of blood. This seems to indicate that the note was pre-written before the attack, or after the attack in somewhere other than the immediate area of the crime scene. If so, who is the killer speaking to in the note? The dead victim? Possibly, Karena who will find Faith? The note does not seem to be for the police or the public– the usage of “bitch” and “jealous” makes it very personal. And what, specifically, had happened that the killer was referring to?

The Voicemail

In 2015, Crime Watch Daily released a segment regarding an apparent ‘butt dial’ call made from Faith Hedgepeth’s phone at 1:23am on the morning of her murder which recorded a almost three minute long, unintelligible voicemail. Though the timestamp would put Faith at The Thrill during this time period, Crime Watch Daily argues that the time could have been incorrect due to a glitch.

Arlo West, President and CEO of Creative Forensic Services, who is certified in enhancement, authentication, and analysis of both audio and video by the New York Institute of Forensic Audio, and has over 30 years of experience in the audio and film industry, claimed to have deciphered a lot of the garbled noises in the message. He created a harrowing interpretation of the sounds that Crime Watch Daily reported “could have been the final moments of Faith’s life.” Arlo West is convinced that the names Rosie and Eriq are used throughout the voicemail.

The following transcript of the enhanced voicemail was posted by local journalist, Tom Gasparoli, who maintains a blog on the Faith Hedgepeth murder:

Faith’s father is convinced that this voicemail proves something was happening to Faith, stating that, “From Day One, I heard my daughter screaming in the background, and I knew something was going on.” Police believe the voicemail was from the club and not from the apartment where Faith was murdered.

It is worth noting that, though, the names Rosie and Eriq are purported to have been said in the voicemail, it is unclear whether Karena Rosario would go by “Rosie,” and Eriq Takoy Jones seemed to have been called “Takoy” by friends.

Also, some of the transcript does not make sense as a conversation, and the individuals are using uncommon words and phrasing which could indicate, at the very least, misinterpretation. Comments like, “Her hands look like they’re on fire. {inaudible} I’ve got to hide them,” and “Just throw it in the river,” are extremely bizarre. And, in the middle of the call, it seems as though someone is rapping or music is being played, lending some credence to the theory that it was recorded at The Thrill. Logically, it does stand to reason, that even if only parts of the transcript are accurate, the voicemail is hard to discount as unrelated to the murder.

It is also extremely difficult to dismiss that the voicemail does seem to have recorded a potentially angry or emotional discussion as it happened. The voices seem to many, including Faith’s family, to be agitated, fast-speaking, and belligerent, and there are also audible yelps of (what seems like) pain from someone.

Who killed Faith?

Closing

Considering the massive amounts of evidence and investigation conducted, and in lieu of the redacted information, and law enforcement’s seeming reluctance to share evidence years after the fact, it is reasonable to assume that the police do have an idea of who they believe most likely murdered Faith Hedgepeth.

The police “are still seeking additional information related to the murder” and many wonder if they simply need a critical piece of evidence which contradicts an alibi or provides vital support to a circumstantial theory.

Faith’s family has worked tirelessly to not allow the case to be forgotten by the public, and to keep Faith’s memory alive. They’ve set up a scholarship in her name called Faith’s Smile Scholarship which helps Native American women entering their freshman year of college.

Faith is described by family and friends as outgoing and bubbly, and “an honor student, a cheerleader and a member of “every club there was.” She planned to be a pediatrician or a teacher and was going to be the first college graduate in her family.

“One little piece of information could break the case, could give us some type of peace.”

If you have any information, no matter how seemingly inconsequential, about the murder of Faith Hedgepeth, please contact Chapel Hill-Carrboro-UNC Crimestoppers at 919-942-7515 or at http://www.crimestoppers-chcunc.org.

I think Karena knows a lot more. Eric wasn’t at the club that night. He lived close by. He hated Faith and was controlling and perhaps jealous. He probably knew Brandon stayed the night the night before the murder. Maybe he was waiting in the apartment for the girls to return from the club. But Either Faith was already dead or not by the time a text was sent from her phone to Brandon at 3:40am. But it doesn’t make sense for her to send out a text to come over because Karina needs him. Sounds like a test which was Eric’s idea to see if Brandon would respond. Brandon didn’t even know who it was. Which makes sense to me. Why would he get a text from Faith? Why would he have her number programmed?
I think Karina is scarred and not talking.
She left the club because she wasn’t feeling well but then leaves at 4:30am? She left because there was a dead body in the room! I think Faith was killed between 2:30 – 4:ish.

Just don’t see how nothing gets solved, innocent girl gone just cause she was having her a Lil fun. Why take a life no one deserves to get they life token we all was born for a reason most have family, such as sons and daughters and we got live for them. Its sad about what happen but on the real people are getting murdered and nothing is really getting found out. And its been four years!!!!!!! Y’all got be safe out here thatsbto everybody

Is there a river near her apartment? I wonder if the comment about throwing it in the river could have been about whatever they were using to cause Faith harm. If they knew about this back then they could have checked the river (assuming there is one) for an object that matched potential markings left behind.

So, the river comment is really odd, because I don’t think that there was a legitimate river near the apartments or the club or just in the general vicinity. If someone else knows better, please do not hesitate to correct me.

However, I think that if this comment was interpreted correctly from the voicemail, that the speaker was potentially referring to any body of water- a small creek, or retention pond, or puddle, and just doing so in an exaggerated, ill-educated way…?

The truly unfortunate thing is that it seems like police already have a ton of evidence relating to her murder, including DNA, from Faith’s apartment, and were still unable to connect it to a suspect.

I lived in the apartment complex across the street at the time of the murder. There’s not a significant body of water too close by, definitely not in the immediate vicinity. Just drainage pond type stuff. Rest in peace, Faith… This case really breaks my heart.

About the river comment. There’s a huge river right before entering into Chapel Hill on 15/501. This is awful. First little Brittany Locklear in 1998 and now Faith Hedgepeth in 2012. Both are Native American and both deserve justice. I say we march and demand justice for both.

I agree. The fact the the friend left in the middle of the night and comes back to her dead friend is suspicious. Possibly the police have the timeline wrong and she actually died during or shortly after the voicemail.

For me a big red flag was the timeline. At 2:30 Karena was drunk and had to be put to bed, and at 4:30 she is already up, ready and leaving the apartment? She would have needed more time to recover after passing out.
I have a feeling she never went to bed that night and Faith was already dead by the time she left at 4:30. She then came home later and feigned suprise upon “discovering” Faith’s body.

That seemed odd to me too. Supposedly K. left the club because she was sick, from drinking, according to sources I read. Faith had to help her get into the apartment, so the story goes.

If that is true, it would seem she would pass out/crash until morning – not get back up and leave again. Doesn’t make sense.

More likely she was angry and that’s why she wanted to leave. She may have had an argument with Faith that escalated when they got home. It’s possible Faith was killed, and that’s why K. Left in the wee hours of the morning. Just a possibility.

I agree. That text sounded weird to me – “She needs you more than you know” sounds more like something K. Would say. He wasn’t answering her calls, so she could have texted from Faith’s phone to see if he would respond to her.

There was blood splatter in the room, so I doubt she was killed elsewhere.
She said that her hands were burning. Did the autopsy indicate redness or anything peculiar about her hands? There must have been other DNA or fingerprints at the crime scene.

Was Brandon at the nightclub that evening? Karena obviously had designs on him and maybe Faith did too. When he didn’t answer the calls or texts, Karena goes to see him. It could have been something like:

K: Faith says you had sex with her, and you said I was a #### etc. etc..
B: She’s a liar. She wants me, and she is just trying to cause trouble between you and me. She came on to me and wanted to have sex with me, but I turned her down, so she is making this up to get back at me.
K: That ####! She’s supposed to be my friend and she does this? Who does she think she is? Come with me right now and we’ll confront her together.

So they go back to Faith’s apartment and fight with her. Karena beats her with the bottle and Brandon rapes her. They torture her until she is dead , Karena and Brandon could have left, then the next morning K. goes home and sure enough, Faith is just like they left her – dead. Then she calls 911.

I’ve been trying to identify the song in the background (no luck) in order to eliminate a lot of what words are heard, as I think the expert who transcribed is mostly incorrect. I think he’s hearing mostly the song lyrics (and picked up the names in the song) and then inserting the narrative he wants to hear.

My best guess is that Faith was going home from the club with someone else’s ex/boyfriend, and was confronted about it and it got physical. I think a bouncer comes and asks them to leave in the end.

Some guesses:

[Music playing loudly in background]
Woman: Don’t. Touch. My. Boyfriend.
Man: [unintelligible denial or argument]
Faith: Yeah, right!
Woman: Put down the phone.
Man: […] never wanna fuck you again! […]
Woman: You mother fucker!
Man: You were just […] What kind of person […]
Woman: […] to go fuck your little whore? […]
Faith: Whyyy?
[…]
Woman: […] will kick in your face bitch, if you try to pull that bullshit. Don’t ever do that, ok? You’re right in front of me, I’ll have to be rude.
Faith: Ow!
Woman: [mocking] “Ow!” Your talk sure ain’t funny, […]
Faith: [scream]
Woman: Fuck you, bitch.
Man: Ok! Ok! Let her go [unintelligible]
Faith: [to man] Help me!
Woman: Don’t be a pussy, put up a fight.
Man: [antagonizing, unintelligible] take her home and fuck her right in the ass and you’re not gonna fucking know whether I come home or not.
Woman: Fine, do it.
Man: I will, all night.
Woman: Go to hell.
[walks away accross club, loud music is heard and other people’s conversations. Woman has then come back to confront them a second time.]
Faith: Reeeeallly?? Alright.
Woman: Come at me.
[very loud music as they pass speakers]
Woman: Fuck you, too.
[…]
Woman: You liar.
Man: Hey, shut the fuck up, bitch!
[…]
Man: No way! […] we’re leaving!
Faith: Get off of me!
Man: Let go of her.
[…]
Faith: Fuck you!
Woman: Let go of me.
Bouncer: I’m going to need you to back up.
[unintelligible arguing and yelling]
[now talking with a new girl, possibly the friend she was calling to contact her within the club for “backup”]
New girl: […] attack you?
Faith: I don’t know!
New girl: Sit down.
Faith: [crying]
New girl: I think we better […] okay? I think we better.

It is unfortunate that so many technicalities of the judicial system, although represented as being put in place to protect “law abiding citizens, ” there are several breakdowns in the system they actually “serve and protect the criminals.” Example, domestic violence cases, “sorry, but until you can show or provide us with proof that you have been harmed or threatened, there’s nothing we can do,” (despite the fact the accused may have a history of such). The next week, officials may find themselves reporting back to such home, this time to investigate a homicide or victim beaten beyond recognition. This should never have happened. Example, requests for a restraining order after reporting threats made to you or obsession or stalking-again, victim has to walk around in fear until certain things happen by the alleged suspect (again, despite the fact that suspect may have a criminal record of such crimes), in order for a victim to be granted permission to obtain restraining order. Better yet, I think along with the Restraining Order issued by Court, the accused should have to wear at tracking device to ensure they never come near the resident’s home or community or work place. Or the next thing you know, victim has been kidnapped, held hostage or endured bodily harm.
Again, in Faith’s case, if they requested DNA from all male students and not just those who were INSIDE the club that night, they may have found the missing link. There is murder for hire EVERYDAY in this world. The actual killer may not have been in the daily circle, but could have been hired to do harm to Faith, while her circle of so-called friends observed and/or participated. Maybe it wasn’t intended to be murder, but just to beat and attack her badly to teach her some type of lesson, but ended up going too far, i.e., “I think she’s dying.” “Do it anyway.” Just because they heard someone wrapping in the background, it’s a DANGEROUS assumption (although easy scapegoat for law enforcement initially dismissing it’s relevancy to murder at the apartment) to conclude the pocket dial was in the club. People sing and play music in their homes all the time. Perhaps that music was to cover up the cries of torture by Faith from the neighbors. Just because her time of death was estimated around 2:30-3:00, doesn’t mean it’s impossible for the pocket dial to be the recording of her last moments. She could hsve been badly beaten and died as a result thereof, but it is possible that she laid there in misery for over an hour after suffering injuries before taking her last breath, thus determination of death. The judicial system took the DNA of all males who attended the club that night. However, a person’s DNA in general does not show up in the system UNTIL AFTER they have committed some sort of crime.
(Sgain, s breakdown in the system to the advantage of the criminal.) Well, every criminal has that time when they commit their first crime. Until then, they have a DNA, but no record is available to cross-reference in the judicial system. NOW, if there was a database that automatically noted a person’s DNA at birth, along with their name, date, time of birth, parents and place of birth, the judicial system wouldn’t have to waste tireless hours, insurmountable government funds and infinite time to resolve crimes and help the families of victims find closure.